Looking for Suelo

It's been two years since we discovered the website of Daniel suelo, this mysterious man who lives without using money for 11 years. It is one of the reasons we decided to undertake this journey to the "other side", we wanted to discover his lair and understand his history. During these 11 years, he lived in a cave, near Moab, in the state of Utah, beautiful land of red rocks and canyons.

We abandon Los Angeles without much regret after enjoying once again the capital of waste. A beautiful winter morning in California, a full belly, we're getting to the East.We expect extreme difficulty to escape from this megalopolis ... and yet, to our surprise, nothing is easier. The rides comes almost without asking and we find ourselves quickly in the desert of Mojave. Little traffic but we are lucky. Two young soldiers from the Air Force stop. It is Saturday, day off, they roam without precise directions and decide to give us a boost. On an incredible straight road, we are entering in a deep existential discussion, Jared and Josh are touching, twenties, they feel like enslaved, caught in an impasse from which they see no escape. Our meeting inspired them and they are happy to extend this time taking us to Las Vegas, 200 miles away form there!

“Observe the reality as it is, not as you want it to be”

The desert extends until the horizon. A straight road crossing through it. There are a few houses on the side of the road, two or three delis. The morning light penetrates my closed eye lids. It’s day ten and we can now talk. Tomorrow the meditation course will be over. The three of us: Mike, Yazmin and I feel renewed after spending three days isolated from the world. It’s as if everything had changed... although maybe is just our perception what changed. I feel I have recovered the ability to see, as if I would never again need glasses. I see everything more clearly. The three of us feel shaken. Tomorrow Mikey will fly back to England. Yazmin and I decide to stay two more weeks in the center to serve. The course is free and sustains itself only with donations, so we volunteer our time and energy to pay back.

What is Vipassana? I can’t explain it. It can only be understood by experience. Each person must do their own investigation and discovery of this adventure. I can only say one thing: If you feel confused or lost, if you’re looking for a way to find yourself, Vipassana is an ideal way to walk away from distractions and learn about yourself. It is a journey inside of your own self.

Entering the U.S...

A long queue, hundreds of people waiting, patiently. We pass them, Mike, Yazmin and me (Benjamin) with our 3 backpacks. they don't have any expressions on their face, they have been there for hours and yet, no anger, no frustration. They are used to it. All these people have a visa that grant them the entrance to the United States for one or two days only. It is different for us, the line is smaller for a longer permit. The border officer who receive us is really nice, he tells us his entire life while stamping our passport. He insists on the fact he has not always been a border officer, he has traveled and speaks four languages. We tell our story but the cost is the same for everyone. 6 dollars, Yazmin has some "safety money" and pay for me. There is no other legal way. The officer adds that "in this country, you have to pay to breathe".